Martindale: Bartley will be top boss

DAVID MARTINDALE is in no rush to lose his trusted lieutenant but has revealed he is already steeling himself for the possibility Marvin Bartley could depart Livingston for a managerial job elsewhere this summer.

Describing such a move as the ‘natural evolution’ in Bartley’s post-playing career, Martindale is adamant the former Hibernian midfielder would leave Almondvale with his manager’s full blessing.

Bartley (pictured) made the move from Lions captain to Martindale’s assistant ahead of this season and has been linked with a number of posts. ‘I’ve spoken to Marv and I’m under no illusions why he’s in football,’ said Martindale ahead of Livingston’s final Premiership fixture of the season, at home to Dundee this afternoon. ‘Does he want to always be Davie Martindale’s assistant? Probably not, let’s be honest.

‘If a job came up for Marv between maybe now and, let’s say, the end of July or August, then he would go with my blessing if that’s what he wanted to do.

‘It’ll not be long before Marv is a manager in his own right. The natural evolution for Marv is either sitting in my seat or moving on elsewhere. That’s football for you.’